Structural analog of sildenafil identified as a novel corrector of the F508del-CFTR trafficking defect

Mol Pharmacol. 2008 Feb;73(2):478-89. doi: 10.1124/mol.107.040725. Epub 2007 Nov 1.

Abstract

The F508del mutation impairs trafficking of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) to the plasma membrane and results in a partially functional chloride channel that is retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and degraded. We recently used a novel high-throughput screening (HTS) assay to identify small-molecule correctors of F508del CFTR trafficking and found several classes of hits in a screen of 2000 compounds (Carlile et al., 2007). In the present study, we have extended the screen to 42,000 compounds and confirmed sildenafil as a corrector using this assay. We evaluated structural analogs of sildenafil and found that one such molecule called KM11060 (7-chloro-4-{4-[(4-chlorophenyl) sulfonyl] piperazino}quinoline) was surprisingly potent. It partially restored F508del trafficking and increased maturation significantly when baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells were treated with 10 nM for 24 h or 10 muM for 2 h. Partial correction was confirmed by the appearance of mature CFTR in Western blots and by using halide flux, patch-clamp, and short-circuit current measurements in unpolarized BHK cells, monolayers of human airway epithelial cells (CFBE41o(-)), and intestines isolated from F508del-CFTR mice (Cftr(tm1Eur)) treated ex vivo. Small-molecule correctors such as KM11060 may serve as useful pharmacological tools in studies of the F508del-CFTR processing defect and in the development of cystic fibrosis therapeutics.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cricetinae
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / deficiency
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / genetics*
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Piperazines / chemistry*
  • Piperazines / metabolism
  • Piperazines / pharmacology*
  • Protein Transport / genetics
  • Purines / chemistry
  • Purines / metabolism
  • Purines / pharmacology
  • Respiratory Mucosa / drug effects
  • Respiratory Mucosa / metabolism
  • Sequence Deletion*
  • Sildenafil Citrate
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfones / chemistry*
  • Sulfones / metabolism
  • Sulfones / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Piperazines
  • Purines
  • Sulfones
  • Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator
  • Sildenafil Citrate